How India's cars will get safer from this year
Dipak K Dash | TNN | Updated: Feb 18, 2019, 04:34 ISTHighlights
- Safety features like alerts for seatbelt, reverse parking and speeding will become mandatory in cars
- Every car will have to pass front, side and lateral crash tests
- By 2023, safety features such as electronic stability control and automatic braking system will also become mandatory.
NEW DELHI: The year 2019 will go down as 'safe vehicle year' in India as several safety features will become mandatory in cars including alerts for seatbelt, reverse parking and speeding, besides every car having to pass front, side and lateral crash tests.
By 2023, mandatory safety features such as electronic stability control and automatic braking system in cars will leave even many European countries behind.
Though the number of people killed in road accidents inside the vehicle, particularly cars, in India is relatively low compared to western countries, the road transport ministry has taken several steps to make safety features such as air bags mandatory irrespective of the vehicle's cost and size. According to government data, 26,869 car occupants were killed in road accidents in 2017 while the number of pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders killed was over 72,000.
"The aim behind introducing mandatory safety features in cars is to ensure that the vehicle should not be the reason for anyone's death. At the same time, we have improved and introduced safety standards in two-wheelers. Day light running lights has been made mandatory for all new two-wheelers and we have also made anti-lock braking system (ABS) compulsory in these vehicles to avoid skidding and protect riders from being hit due to visibility issues," said a ministry official.
Efforts to improve vehicle safety in India in the past years has also been acknowledged by global road safety organisations. "India's target to introduce protection of pedestrian feature in new models is a remarkable achievement ahead of many developed countries," Global New Car Assessment Programme general secretary David Ward said. This feature in cars has significance since it will reduce the severity of injuries in case a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a car. At least 20,000 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in India in 2017.
By 2023, mandatory safety features such as electronic stability control and automatic braking system in cars will leave even many European countries behind.
Though the number of people killed in road accidents inside the vehicle, particularly cars, in India is relatively low compared to western countries, the road transport ministry has taken several steps to make safety features such as air bags mandatory irrespective of the vehicle's cost and size. According to government data, 26,869 car occupants were killed in road accidents in 2017 while the number of pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders killed was over 72,000.
"The aim behind introducing mandatory safety features in cars is to ensure that the vehicle should not be the reason for anyone's death. At the same time, we have improved and introduced safety standards in two-wheelers. Day light running lights has been made mandatory for all new two-wheelers and we have also made anti-lock braking system (ABS) compulsory in these vehicles to avoid skidding and protect riders from being hit due to visibility issues," said a ministry official.
Efforts to improve vehicle safety in India in the past years has also been acknowledged by global road safety organisations. "India's target to introduce protection of pedestrian feature in new models is a remarkable achievement ahead of many developed countries," Global New Car Assessment Programme general secretary David Ward said. This feature in cars has significance since it will reduce the severity of injuries in case a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a car. At least 20,000 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in India in 2017.
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